Carbon dioxide liquefier



Aug. 10, 1937.

H. s. HOUGHTON CARBON DIOXIDE LIQUEFIER Filed Oct. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11v VENTOR IamySZEzgkZWz;

T ORNE Y5 Patented Aug. 10, 1937 Y UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE cannon moxmn momma Harry s. Houghton, San M l-mo, can. Application October 29, 1934, Serial No. 750,544

4 Claims.- .(ol. zzc-s) This invention pertains to an apparatus for liquefying solid ca bon dioxide, and pertains particularly to an apparatus adapted to receive solid carbon dioxide, cause an at least partial liqueflcation thereof and permit withdrawal of gaseous carbon dioxide.

One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide a device having an'inclosed chamber adapted to withstand a relatively high internal said; chamber with a reserve chamber and providing for dispensing gaseous carbon dioxide. 25 The attached drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention and referring thereto: Fig. 1 is a partly broken-away side elevation of the device showing the liquefying chamber, I gaseous carbon dioxide reserve chamber, and the 30 associated valve mechanisms;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation detail thereof taken on line 3-3111 Fig. 1; 35 Fig. 4 is a partly broken-away sectional elevation of the liquefying chamber portion of the device, showing a removable carrier device disposed. within said chamber portion.

Referring to the drawings, the complete ap- 40 paratus may comprise a pressure vessel I having a closed lower end wall 2 provided with a drain cock 3 and a removable closure means 4 at the upper'end of the device. The vessel I may be provided with a suitable supporting standard such 45 as a spun metal base 5 for the purpose of maintaining the apparatus in an upright position. Adjacent the upper end of the vessel I I provide a vapor outlet line 6 provided with a cut-off valve I, communicating with a header. 8 which is pref- 50 erably provided with a pressure'gauge 9 and connecting through cut-ofi valve II to a pressure storage receptacle I2, which is preferably of smaller size than the pressure vessel I. To provide for withdrawal of gaseous carbon dioxide from the apparatus, I provide a branch conduit I3 leading from the header 8 and provided with a pressure regulating valve I4, gauge I6, and threaded outlet connection I6 adapted to receive a connection H for dispensing of the gas. The receptacle I2 is preferably secured to the vessel I 5 .in some suitable manner, as by means of one or more hook members I8 secured to the vessel I and a corresponding number of eye members I9 secured to the receptacle I2, whereby said rereceptacle may be removably supported on said 1 vessel. I

The removable closure means of the present invention may comprise an inner compression member such as a disc 2I of circular shape disposed within a circular recess 22, constituting a charging opening having cylindrical side walls, in the upper end of the vessel I and provided with an annular shoulder or recess 23 within which may be disposed a packing member 24. Immediately above the recess 23 I provide an outer compression member such as an annular ring fitting snugly within the recess 22 in engagement with said packing member 24 and of such size as to also fit within the recess 23, so that when the said ring is brought into compressive engagement with 25 the packing member 24, it will extend within said recess toprevent said packing from being squeezed out. In order to restrain the compression ring 26 against upward movement, I provide a plurality of removable head sections 28 and 21 posi- 30 tioned outwardly of said compression ring, which head sections, when assembled in their preferred relation, encompass a circular area of greater radius than the recess 22, and I provide a radially extending recess 28 in the vessel I defining shoulder means 28a adjacent the upper end of the recess 22 within which the peripheral portions 29 and 3| of the sections 26 and 21 may be disposed in locking position. The head sections 26 are preferably of comparable shape and provided with two parallel opposing sides 26a, extending inwardly from the circular peripheral portions 29 to an inner edge 26b which is preferably p'jirallel to a tangent to such peripheral edge at a point thereon intermediate the two parallel 4 edges 26a. The head sections 21 may be of segmental shape and of such radial depth d that when this dimension is added to one-half the length of the side 26b of the section 26, the total will be just slightly less than the radial dimension of the vessel I at the recess 28 and the length l of such segments is less than the diameter of the recess 22 so that when the sections 26 are lifted out and one of the sections moved inwardly as shown in dot-dash lines at 21a, said section may be lifted freeof the recess 28. The sections 26 and 21, when assembled as shown in Fig. 2, will thus define a rectangular and preferably square space 32, centrally of the vessel I, and

5 in order to maintain the sections in their out ward position with their peripheral edges'disposed within the recess 26, I provide a plate 33 having a depending boss 34 of a shape corresponding to the opening 32, which may be inserted .0 within the outer end of the recess 22 into position maintaining the sections 26 and 2'! in such outward position. To provide for bringing the 1, various portions of the closure means 4 into pressure-resisting relation, I provide a bolt 35 se- 1 cured to the plate 2| and extending through asuitable aperture in the plate 33 into position for threaded engagement with a suitable clamping nut or the like 36.

I may also provide a removable carrier device 20 which may be inserted within thevessel I for the purpose of holding the solid carbon dioxide with which the apparatus is charged, and for keeping the solid carbon dioxide and the. formed liquid carbon dioxide out of contact with the side and 25 bottom walls of said vessel and thus positively preventing any undue chilling of the material of which said walls are formed. This removable carrier may comprise a cylindrical member 4| provided with a closed lower end 42, and a side.

- wall 43 having a rim portion 44 adapted to rest against the loweredge or shoulder 46 provided by the recess 23. The side wall 43 of the carrier 4| is preferably provided with a plurality of openings 45 adjacent the upper end of the device, 35 through which gaseous carbon-dioxide may pass. The outside diameter of the carrier 4| is preferably such with respect to the inside diameter of the vessel I that an appreciable separation of said carrier and said vessel is obtained, as at a. 40 The capacity'of the carrier 4| is materially less than the volumetric capacity of the vessel I, so that when said vessel is charged with solid carbon dioxide by filling said carrier, the amount of gaseous carbon' dioxide formed will not be such 45 as to cause an excessively high pressure to be developed in case the vessel and its contents should reach the critical temperature of carbon dioxide. It will be appreciated that the apparatus may be employed without the carrier 41 being- 50 used, provided that the operator is careful to fill the vessel with no more than the desired quantity of solid carbon dioxide, according to the above set forth requirements. The spacing a between the carrier 4| and the vessel is of 55 considerable advantage in insulating the main body of solid or liquid carbon dioxide within said carrier in the event that the vessel is subjected to an external heating for any reason, in that there would be no sudden evaporation of gaseous 60 carbon dioxide from the material within the car.-

rier. This spacing also permits the evolved gaseouscarbon dioxide to pass from the carrier 4| downwardly around the same into the space below said carrier.

65 In employing the device for the dispensing of gaseous carbon dioxide, the closure means 4 is removed and the member 4| either removed and a charged carrier of comparable shape inserted 7 in place thereof, or filled with solid carbon dioxide vessel itself filled to the desired extent, as above described. After the desired quantity of solid carbon dioxide is placed within the vessel, the compression plate -2| is dropped into the recess 75 .22 and allowed to rest against the upper edge of dumping the same into said carrier, or the the rim 44, or against the shoulder 46 if the carrier 4| is not employed, it being understood that ordinarily the packing member 24 will be carried with the plate 2| and will not have to be handled separately. The compression ring 26 is then dropped into place in engagement with the packing member, and the two segmental sections 21 are placed in position within the recess 26, after which the two sections 26 are dropped into place and forced outwardly into their correct position 10 within said recess. When thus assembled, as shown in Figs; 1 and 2, the head sections 26, and 21 are disposed above the outer compression member 26, in position to restrain the latter against upward movement, while the engagement of the outer edge portions of said head sections with the shoulder 26a serves to prevent upward movement of said head sections, thereby locking the entire sealing assembly including members 2|, 24, and 25, against outward movement by pressure within the vessel. The plate 33 is then placed in position above and extending over the head sections 26 and 21, with the boss 34 fitting within the opening 32, and the nut 36 is screwed down over the bolt 35. As the plate 2| is brought upwardly due to tightening of the nut 36, the packing 24 will be-firmly clamped between the ring 25 and the bottom of the recess 23 in said plate 2|, being substantially confined within said recess, and will also be crowded outwardly against the side wall of the recess 22, while the head sections 26 and 21 will be held against displacement from the positions shown in Fig. 2, due not only to their being tightly clamped between cover plate -23 and the outer compression member 25, but

also to the disposition of the boss 34 within the central opening 32. It will be appreciated that in this particular type of closure means a relatively soft packing material may be employed, in view of the fact that any pressure developed within the vessel due td evaporation of the solid carbon dioxide will exert an increased pressure against the plate 2|, and due to the immobility of the ring 25, a further compression of the packing member 24 will be realized and a very effective sealing of the upper end of the device will be obtained. As the evaporation of the solid carbon dioxide within the vessel progresses, the pressure will increase within said vessel and the gaseous carbon dioxide may be withdrawn through the conduit 6 by opening the valve I, and the valve may be left open until the maximum pressure is realized within said vessel, after which the valve may be closed and the volume of gaseous carbon dioxide within the receptacle |2 be retained as a reserve supply for use during the recharging of the vessel I, and gaseous carbon dioxide underthe desired pressure may be continually withdrawn at l6 under suitable control by the pressure regulating valve |4. so

It will be appreciated that ,the valves 1 and II, as well as the valve l4, may be provided with safety plugs 5|, if desired, according to common practice in-the art.

It will be appreciated that the particular shapes as of the head sections shown at 26 and 21 are not absolutely essential to this invention, in view of the fact that alternatively shaped sections of comparable utility may be employed. The present described shape and arrangement of parts, however, provides a simple, easily fabricated, and easily assembled arrangement, and for this reason this particular design has been chosen for illustration.

I claim:

1. In a carbon dioxide liquefier, a pressure vessel provided with a charging opening at its upper end and a recess around said opening providing a downwardly facing shoulder; inner and outer compression members removably disposed within said charging opening below said shoulder; a packing member between said compression members in position for sealing engagement with the interior of said opening; a plurality of removable head sections positioned above said outer compression member in position to prevent upward movement thereof and having their outer edge portions engaging said shoulder; a. plate disposed above and extending over said head sections; and means engaging said plate and said inner compression member and operable to draw the same toward one another, to securely clamp said head sections between said plate and outer compression member and compress said packing member between said inner and outer compression members.

2. In a carbon dioxide liquefier, a pressure vessel provided with a charging opening at its upper end, and with a wall surrounding said opening and recessed outwardly from said opening to provide downwardly facing shoulder means; inner and outer compression members removably disposed within said opening; a packing member between said compression members in position for sealing engagement with said wall; a plurality of removable head sections positioned above and in engagement with said outer compression member and having their outer portions engaging said shoulder means; a plate disposed above and extending over said head sections and serving to hold said head sections in position; and means associated with said plate and said inner compression member for drawing said plate and member toward one another.

3. In a carbon dioxide liquefler, a pressure vessel provided with a charging opening and a recess around said opening providing a shoulder extending outwardly from said opening; inner and outer compression members removably disposed within said charging opening; a. packing member between said compression members in position for sealing engagement with the interior of said opening; a plurality of removable head sections positioned outwardly of said outer compression member in position to restrain said outer compression member against outward movement and having peripheral edge portions disposed within said recess in position to engage said shoulder, said head sections providing, when assembled, a central opening; a plate disposed outwardly of and extending over said removable head sections and provided with means projecting inwardly from said plate and extending within said central opening and engaging said head sections to hold the same outwardly in engagement with said shoulder, and means engaging said plate and said inner compression member to draw the same toward one another, thus clamping said head sec-' gagement with said wall; an annular compression member disposed above and in engagement with said packing member; a plurality of removable head sections disposed above said annular compression member and in position to limit upward movement of said annular compression member, said head sections having outer edge portions extending within the outward recess in said wall and engaging said shoulder means; a cover plate disposed above and in engagement with said head sections; and means associated with said cover plate and said compression plate for drawing said plates toward one another to clamp said head sections in said position and to compress said packing member.

HARRYS. HOUGH'ION. 

